Liffey Valley Athletic Club

Dublin Novice XC
Sunday, 6 October, 2013

The cross country championships season got underway in fine style at St. Anne’s Park on Sunday (Oct. 6th)) when the women’s team won the team championship with a fine display of positive running . From the early stages of the race we had five athletes inside the first 25 and the scene was set for a mighty battle with Raheny, DSD and Celtic/DCH.

Siobhan Keenehan lead the team home in 9th position after being in the first 10 for the whole of the race. Lena Sinclair was next in 13th. place and there was a great battle for the next place with Síle Carroll and Emer Nic an Bhaird exchanging positions on a few occasions with Síle in 15th edging out Emer in 17th down the finish straight. Aileen Gettings ran a fine race in 32nd. place battling all the way as did Maeve Walsh 48th and Susan Arthurs running her first cross country race ever.

The cross country mantra of racing for every place possible was definitely applicable on Sunday as we gained four points on the finish straight which were vital as we won by three with second and third team positions being decided on the basis of best placed fourth scorer.

This was the first time a Liffey Valley Womens team won a championship team award and all seven girls in action are to be congratulated on their performance. It was a very competitive team event with a record 12 teams in action.

The mens team finished 7th with our second team 9th. which saw some good running from some of our lads who were making their cross country debut.

They were lead home by debutant Damien Couvet in 28th. Diarmuid O’Sullivan made up some considerable ground over the latter stages to finish 33rd. with Arnaud Benjacar next in 36th. Club Chairman Brendan Beere was 40th. with another debutant Thomas Martin 41st, Alex Carrasco was 42nd and Conor Cullen in his first cross country race lead the second team home in 44th. spot.

Billy Hanley was next in 49th. with Australia bound Ray Boyle 58th. with the scoring being completed by Tony Dunne in 73rd and John Parker 74th.